The Night Room
by Moon Fighter
Summary: Each of the new digidestined get a chance to view their future. Is it a dream come true or a nightmare? Couplings inside Chapter 8 up! And will Yolei and Kari die?!?!
1. In the Beginning

Couplings include one-sided Takari (Beginning only!) One-sided Miyakeru (Beginning only!) Miyashiro, and Taiora. Ok, to make this Taiora, you have to pretend that Matt is younger than Kari, and that their siblings. Also pretend that Tai and Kari aren't related and that Sora is the oldest of the group. This will be my biggest ficcie yet at 50 chapters! You wont be disappointed. Oh and, ken is psycho and Sam makes an appearance, as does my charrie and her boyfriend. ^_^

The Night Room

Tuesday, November 28, Chapter 1

            TK was standing before the Odaiba High bulletin board. "Good morning, Ichabod." The girl's voice was deceptively sweet. He caught a glimpse of wiry brown hair as a khaki-clad figure moved to stand at his right.

            Kari. He didn't turn from reading the announcements. "Good morning, Mother Teresa." If Kari pushed him any further, he'd ask for her blessing.

            With a muttered swear, the girl moved on. Touche, he complimented himself. The warning buzzer hadn't even sounded, and already he'd drawn blood. 

             Actually, he didn't mind being called Ichabod. He'd come into the nickname when he hit his growth spurt. Ichabod Crane. Okay, he was tall and gawky, and he had and nose too big for his face. He had it on good authority (female) that another female thought he was cute, only his authority refused to tell him which one.

              Not Yolei Inoue. Not a prayer.

        "Just the boy I want to see." Ms. Ruddley was his grade 11 Health teacher, and also the school counselor. 

              He froze into immediate guilt. "What did I do?" More likely, what hadn't he done? Whatever it was, he'd hand it in by the end of the week. Promise. 

              "It  isn't anything you did," The slim black woman said. "It's what you're going to do. Stay here. Don't move. I have a treat for you in my office." She disappeared through the doorway.

               First period started in fifteen minutes. A teacher had a treat for him. Sure. He glanced at the teachers' bulletin board, full of notices about meetings that looked like guaranteed snooze time. Someone had tacked up a stained gym sock with a note reading 'Cinderella, where are you?' 

               Ms. Ruddley was back immediately with a sheaf of announcements. "Read the one on top. Or the one on the bottom. They're all alike." 

               Caught by the sight of his own name---galvanized by another that made his heart do wheelies---he began to skim the notice. He stopped and stared. "Were doing the Argus program now?" This was Star Wars stuff, the prototype of a computer program that was supposed to show them at their tenth high school reunion. Odaiba was one of the first to try it.

               "Just read the notice."

                                                A N N O U N C E M E N T

Date: November 28

Attn. Health 11 Class                                                                            seven (7) students

Re. Personal Development Unit

                                                Mimi Tachikawa                     Takeru Takaishi

                                                Davis Motomiya                      Hikari Kamiya

                                                Rebecca Rhodes                      Miyako Inoue

                                                Cody Hida

Your appointment with Argus is scheduled for 5:00 P.M. on Thursday, December 7. We will meet in the observatory parking lot at the university, and I will have a few words with you before we enter the waiting area. You will bring permission slips signed by a parent or guardian as well as completed medical forms. 

Wear comfortable, loose clothing. Prepare for delays by bringing homework or other reading material of an uplifting nature. You will enter the Night Room one at a time. For maximum value, those who enter early are asked to refrain from discussing their insights with others waiting.

REMEMBER: Argus is a scientific program. Its purpose is to give you an idea of your POSSIBLE future based on the individual interviews and questionnaires filled out earlier. Other factors are luck, aptitude, skill, opportunities and the willingness to work toward a goal. The purpose of this program is to get you to ask questions, not provide answers. 

Life is a pie. You can choose the slice you want (Although you wont necessarily get it.). You can take whatever your handed on a plate. Or you can let the dessert cart pass you by.

Edith Ruddley             

Counselor                                                                                 cc: Dr. Sora   Takenouchi

                               VERY IMPORTANT: BRIEF MEETING 

                                           3:15 P.M. TODAY, RM. 101.

The lines about the metting after school had been underlined in red.

     "We're going through Argus next Thursday night?"

    "Thursday," The teacher echoed. "I know this is short notice, but Dr. Takenouchi's assistant just phoned me. The computer will be underutilized next week because of exams, so they're able to squeeze us in. Otherwise we won't have an appointment until spring. Do you have any problem with the time?"

He shook his head. His social calendar wasn't exactly full, and he was curious about this computer program that was supposed to foretell his future.

"I'll phone the university and ask them to give Rebecca Rhodes a message about this afternoon's meeting," Ms. Ruddley said. "I believe you have classes with everyone else. Everyone except-"

"Miyako Inoue" Tk always got a ringing in his ears from hearing her name. Speaking it made him breathless and giddy.

"Do you think that you can find her?"

"Miyako?" Tk wheezed. "Inoue?"

"Miyako." The counselour paused. "Inoue."

Bells chimed joyfully-carillons, not the strident buzzer that called students to first period homeroom. Tk heard little tinkling bells, huge dignified sumo-wrestler-sized bells. Bells jingled on the harnesses on Santa Claus's reindeer as they delivered gifts to deserving little boys. He also thought he heard "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" played on a Fisher-Price xylophone, although he wasn't prepared to swear to that.

"Earth to Tk. Come in, Tk." Ms Ruddley was looking at him peculiarly. "You'll find her standing near the entrance to the library. She's circulating a petition, I think."

He tried to take a shortcut up a down staircase, got stopped, and had to run down again through hordes of students. After the second staircase plaus a three-quarter turn around the school, he suddenly saw her standing near the library door. Miyako Inoue. His goddess.

Morning sunlight poured through the tall window at the end of the hallway, outlining her in a flame, turning her fair hair incandescent. Blinding him, but that was okay because he didn't plan to use his eyes again. She was talking to two girls, probably about the petition she was holding.

Kari was also there, standing at a table near the library entance, reading a Greenpeace pamphlet. In the bright sunlight, her hair shone like a new penny. "If you're trying to sneak up on me," she said when he came to a halt beside her, "I think you should know that you'd make a rotten spy. I spotted you on the stairs. So, what do you want now?" 

"Nothing from you."

"Good. That's what your going to get." She paused. "What do you really want?"

"Can't tell you. I've already sent my wish list to Santa. Anyway, it's X-rated."

"YOU?" She laughed. "PG-13, tops."

A lot she knew. He picked up an identical pamphlet. "I need to talk to Miyako. I guess she's busy."

"Miyako. I might have figured." She returned to her reading. "You are so obvious."

AM NOT. ARE,TOO. He mentally filled in the blanks, then remembered something as they stood side by side, staring at their pamphlets. "I read your article about the science fiction convention you went to. It wasn't bad."

Kari worked on the school paper. Next year, everyone expected her to be editor. For a moment, she looked startled, then pleased. "It was good, wasn't it? Actually, that story was one of my favorites."

Her hair fascinated him. He wondered what it would be like to touch, whether it would be springy under his hands or soft. She looked almost pretty when she smiled, and that discovery puzzled him, too. Kari probably thought the flak jacket plus the camera hanging on a strap around her neck made her look like a real investigative reporter. 

He had no idea why he was noticing these things when he was only a few feet away from the girl who occupied his fevered dreams. As Kari began to turn away, Tk remembered that her name was on the list. "Wait."

"What's this?" she asked as he handed her a notice.

"From Ms. Ruddley. I have to give one to Miyako."

"You do that." She began reading the announcement. "Go talk to Miyako."

He turned back toward the source of the light as a girl finished signing Miyako's petition. She moved away.

"Hi, Tk." Miyako smiled at him. Tk was afraid that he would throw up or worse. "I guess class is starting soon."

Her smile made him feel like he was standing in front of a warm fire. "Class," he croaked. "Soon." He glanced at the wall clock. Very soon. He held out an announcement. "I have something for you from Ms. Ruddley."

"Thanks. Have you signed our petition yet?" She held out the clipboard. "We plan to present it to the school trustees on Friday."

He'd sign it ten times if she would smile at him again. One hundred times for a kiss. "Do you have a pen?" 

She pointed to a pen attached by a string to the clipboard.

Tk's ears grew hot. He had just made a fool of himself in front of Miyako. She had positive proof that he was an idiot. 

He managed to balance the petition on top of his books as he signed , praying that everything wouldn't fall to the floor. 

As he signed-what was he signing?

"How many signatures do you have so far?" Kari asked Miyako as she strolled up to them. 

"Almost two hundred," the other girl answered. "There are still a few days left. Your story helped."

"Tell me if there's anything else I can do." 

He scanned the top of the page rapidly. Day care. The petition asked for a classroom at Odaiba High to be used as a nursery so students with babies could return to classes.

"too bad there aren't any extra classrooms," Kari said.

"It's a great idea," Tk said loudly. "Great."

Miyako's silver charm bracelet tinkled as she took the clipboard from him. The charm bracelet had come from Izzy. Her boyfriend. They had been going together since the previous summer. Izzy was eighteen, a freshman at the university. Tk had seen them together, hand in hand, arm in arm, and on one horrible occasion, lip to lip.

He had to admit that they looked good together. If they were in a movie, Izzy would be cast as Miyako's surfer boyfriend. Just thinking about him gave Tk a headache.

Still, rumor had it that Miyako had a lot of free time on her hands lately. Tk was hoping that that meant she and Izzy had broken up. He'd even been practicing in front of the mirror. "I have a great shoulder to cry on, Yolei."

Miyako's eyes sparkled when she looked up. "Next Thursday? That's great. I've been looking forward to Argus."

"I'm coming that night, too,: Tk said.

Kari gave him a sharp look, and he remembered that she was on the list as well. "I haven't decided whether I'm going," she said. 

Miyako's next words stopped him before he could respond. "The timing is marvelous, too. I can't see Izzy because of Hell week. He's really hitting the books."

"Hell Week." He said flatly

"Hell Week is what they call the exam week at the university," Miyako explained. "Izzy has five finals." 

The buzzer sounded. Kari turned to go. "See you later, Tk." Not Ichabod. But the brunette girl's correct use of his name barely registered. 

He sighed deeply. The only reason Miyako wasn't seeing her boyfriend was because he had to study.

Not all the chapters will be this long, but I want at least 1 review before I continue each chapter.


	2. The Meeting

                                                                                                                              The Night Room

                                                                                                            Tuesday, November 28, Chapter 2

It was after school, and five students had gathered in room 101. "There are still two girls coming," Ms. Ruddley said as they stowed winter jackets and books. "I'll give them a few more minutes.

"I gave Miyako the announcement," Tk said in case Ms. Ruddley thought he messed up. "I didn't foget her."

"I was sure you wouldn't." The teacher began sorting papers on her desk. "This has all been very last minute."

"You mean we're really gonna do it?" Davis was grinning. "The simulation thing?" He was the biggest guy in the classroom, one of the biggest in school. A soccer player.

"You're really going to do it," Ms. Ruddley said from the front of the room. "YOU, not me. I already know where I'm going to be when I turn twenty-eight. I'll be on a cruise heading somewhere hot."

That was a joke unless she planned to start aging backwords. Ms. Ruddley had recently been given a surprise thirtieth birthday party by the other teachers at Odaiba.

"Before you ask," Ms Ruddley said. "the other students in your class will probably be seen in February. I was told that your names were chosen solely because your interviewers had finished their paperwork. Still, this is quite an adventure. The program is new as far as high school students are concerned. You can consider yourselves pioneers."

"Guinea pigs." Kari muttered. "I don't know about this." She had taken a seat to Tk's right.

He was amazed she would even consider passing up this opportunity. It wasn't as though she was a coward. In the future, she would probably end up winning major awards for writing if she didn't get herself killed taking a picture of an exploding bomb.

She had taken out her spiral notebook and was scribbling hurried notes in what looked like Egyptian hieroglyphs. Her brown hair fell over her eyes. As she shoved it back, she scowled at hi. "What are you looking at?"

"Not at you," he said gamely. "That's for sure." Actually, he didn't mind looking at Kari even though she dressed as though she was reporting from a war zone. He suspected that somewhere under all the khaki, she had a body that wasn't that bad.

He suddenly realized that Kari was looking him over from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet. Her gaze started back up again. He felt his face redden. "What?"

"I can't say that the view from here is all great, either." She said at last.

"So either stop looking at it or take pictures."

"And break my camera?"

He was about to say something back. Then the door opened and Miyako walked in. His mind immediately went into overload.

"Im late," Miyako apologized. "I know I am."

"Your just on time. Take any seat." Ms Ruddley looked around. "It looks like Rebecca has been delayed so we'll begin.

Miyako set her books on the desk in front of Tk's. "Ms Ruddley? What do they mean when they say we should wear comfortable clothes?" COMFORTABLE CLOTHES made Tk think of her wearing something thin and diaphanous, assuming diaphanous meant see-through.

"Loose sweat suits are ideal," Ms Ruddley answered, spoiling his dream of Miyako drifting towards him in something white and flowing. "Come in your jam-jams if you want to, as long as they're decent. Other questions?" She waited. "Don't be afraid to sound silly. Were all here to learn." She waited again.

Some classes at Odaiba were divided by ability. Health wasn't one of those. That didn't keep anybody from knowing who the brightest students were-also the other kind. The I.Q. range started at Rebecca Rhodes, a certified genius. It ended at Cody Hida. 

As for Tk, he truly believed that he belonged somewhere in that great bulge in the middle. Unfortunately, early in his school career, a mischievous computer had messed up. He had been assigned intelligence test scores indicating that if he wasn't destined to find a cure for cancer, or blast off to the stars, he should at least be able to coast through school.

Ha!

He got mostly Cs, some Bs, the occasional A. His report card was filled with nagging computerized comments like 'Try harder and if you use your class time wisely, you could finish your projects.' He wondered if anyone was ever congratulated for living up to their potential. 'Okay Jimmy, you can go home early today. You've hit your potential.'

Maybe he'd give them all heart attacks one day and surpass his potential. Maybe that's what Argus would show him. Success, whatever that meant.

"Hey." Cody had been reading his announcement at his desk. "Hey, hey Ms. Ruddley? I don't get it."

"Which part don't you understand?"

"All the words with more than five letters." Davis quipped. 

Kari straightened and turned around. "Davis, I haven't seen your name on the honor roll lately."

"You haven't seen my name on the honor roll ever. And your not going too. Davis sounded proud. "Your going to see my name in the Pro Soccer Hall of Fame." He turned toward the teacher.  "This Argus thing will show that, right?

A rumor had it that during the soccer season, a scout had been looking Davis over from the stands. 

"I'll take Cody's question first." The teacher nodded encouragingly. 

The slight boy gulped. "I thought we were going to a party. Like, in the future."

Davis groaned.

Cody looked around at the burly soccer player. "Hey, I wanna know, alright?"

"I want to know more about that, too." Tk thought he understood what was going to happen. Maybe not. Often his thoughts drifted when details were explained. Kari glanced at him approvingly, though he didn't know why.

"You are going to a party," Ms. Ruddley said. "That much is true. But-" She hesitated at the sound of rabid footsteps in the hallway. "Can it be?" she asked as she moved toward the doorway. "Zounds, it is!"

Rebecca Rhodes almost collided with the teacher, who moved away at the last second, averting a serious disaster-to Rebecca. Pixyish was the word most often used to describe Rebecca. She'd thinned out since she and Tk were sandbox buddies in kindergarten. Other than that, though, good old Becca hadn't changed much. She still looked as though she should be perched on a mushroom, wearing pointed shoes and a tassled cap. 

"Sorry I'm late," the breathless girl said. "We were discussing solecisms and I forgot." She took the announcement from the teachers hands and read it in two seconds flat. "That's it? That's wonderful." 

"Sit," Ms. Ruddley directed. "We were just talking about what everyone should wear."

"Something really comfortable," Rebecca said. "I've seen students waiting when I visit my dad in the Science building, and its hilarious. One guy wore baby blue sleepers with feet. He even brought a teddy bear. Dr. Takenouchi has no sense of humor at all. She refused to let him in until he apologized to Argus."

Apologize? To a computer? Tk could see the writing on the wall. This educational project wasn't going to be fun. It was going to be….educational. 

"Rebecca," The teacher said firmly. "Sit down and catch your breath. Let me explain to the others. Feel free not to interrupt until Im finished."

"Not to-?" Rebecca stood there. "I understand" She sat and folded her hands. "What if you get something wrong?"

"Try not to snicker."

"Okay." Rebecca said. "Go on."

Tk had decided a long time ago that Rebecca was okay. She made strait As without studying. He suspected she couldn't help herself. Her mother was head of the university Mathematics department and her father ran the cyclotron. Rebecca was widely rumored to be the by-product of a nuclear meltdown.

They were close friends going back to when he thought a genius was something that came out of a magic lamp when you rubbed it. Rebecca was also the girl that told him that another girl thought he was cute.

The teacher began again. "In the Argus program, you will all attend a party marking your tenth class reunion. That means you'll go forward eleven years. This is only a simulation. Im sure you've all seen the holodeck in the 'Star Trek" series."

Everyone nodded.

"The Argus program isn't nearly as advanced as the Holodeck. On the other hand, its here today so you wont have to hang around until the twenty-sixth century. "

"Twenty-fourth century." Rebecca looked sheepish. "You were two-hundred years off. That's a long time."

Ms. Ruddley seemed to be praying for strength from a god located somewhere in the ceiling tiles. "You recall those interviews you went through last month with those graduate students."

There was a soft groan, instantly cut off. Rebecca hadn't been at all impressed with her interviewer, the Twinkie.

"Argus produces highly realistic imagery constructed from input drawn from your interviews and questionnaires. You will each go into a darkened room when your name is called. In that room, you will find a reclining chair. It's quite comfortable, or so Im told."

"Hey, Yolei," Davis said. "Would you mind coming with me when it's my turn? I'm scared."

"I don't think so." She answered quietly.

"If Davis or anyone else feels nervous about this procedure," Ms. Ruddley said, "There is no disgrace in dropping out. 

Davis made a face. "A joke. I was joking."

"No joke. Many people don't care for the sound of the procedure. An apparatus will be put on your head. This is Argus."

"But it doesn't hurt." Mimi Tachikawa sat on Tk's right. He didn't know her very well, although he'd seen her in the fall school play. She was plump, but not anymore than he was skinny. Her statement came out as a question.

"No, it doesn't hurt," the teacher went on, "Up to this time, Argus has been used to assist collage students with career and lifestyle choices. The program's creator believes it will help younger students as well. As we get older, we don't appreciate the changes in our body because they happen so slowly. This broad jump into the future gives us a perspective on our own behavior. Or so the literature says. We can see if we will become duplicates of our parents.

"No way." Cody looked pale. "There is no way Im turning into my old man." Cody's father, an abusive alcoholic, was injail for killing another man during a brawl.

"I don't think you will." Ms Ruddley agreed, softly.

"I wont be anybody's punching bag, either." Cody sat back, his color returning. "I'm going to do okay. I just want to see, like, should I take carpentry or diesel mechanics. Or maybe something else." He looked worried. "If they've only used this for college students, it's not going to try to make me go to collage, is it?" 

"Collage isn't for everyone," Ms Ruddley said. "I've spoken with Dr. Takenouchi and she understands that."

"So we're going to be asleep," Davis said.

"A sort of sleep. Approximately twenty minutes of real time will pass here while your at the party for two hours."

Mimi's hand went up again. "Will there be food? I mean, if you eat at the party, will you get fat? I'm trying to lose wait." She flushed. 

Davis sniggered. "What about booze?"

"We'll be adults." Tk said impatiently. The reality of the situation was becoming clearer to him. In eleven years they would be adults. Forever.

"I don't even want to think about how old I'll be," the teacher said. "The party will be held in a hotel ballroom. There will be food, and no doubt liquor. Since nothing actually exists, I believe it's safe to say that caloric consequences will be zilch. Remember, you are there to observe and learn. Don't use an expensive computer program to give yourself a hangover-free binge."

"Not me." Cody shook his head. "No how, no way."

"Another thing." The teacher picked up the papers on her desk. "You will meet each other in the simulated future. That is, you will be meeting simulations of each other, only older. As far as everyone else at the party is concerned, eleven years has passed. If, say, Tk asked Kari for help on his History homework, she wont know what he's talking about. Okay?"

Kari turned toward Tk. "If you ask me for help here and now" she said.  "You wont get it." 

"Aww, Kari" Tk whined. "Puh-lease?"  As far as History went, the teacher was interesting and they both did okay. They smiled at each other, then stopped abruptly. 

"I can see that the natives are getting restless." Ms. Ruddley raised her voice. "I have forms here. The school requires permission from your parents to go through Argus. The forms they signed earlier covered only the preliminary interviews. You will also need to see a doctor in the next few days to see that you are healthy. There are instructions for you to follow next Thursday. You are to eat very lightly that day, nothing after noon except clear, nonalcoholic beverages. You can read the rest for yourselves. Last, but not least, there is a release required by the university."

"Release?" Davis said blankly. 

"So you can't sue them if anything goes wrong." Rebecca piped up. "Sorry Ms. Ruddley."

"What can go wrong?" Kari had the familiar look of a hound on the scent.

"Supposedly nothing," Ms Ruddley said. "This is a requirement of the university." She looked around. Rebecca had her hand up. "Alright. Speak."

Rebecca turned to face the others. "Usually the images are pretty much what you'd expect. But sometimes people see themselves living lives that aren't so great. You could end up feeling like you were in a bad dream-a very real one."

"What if I dream about a snake biting me?" Cody asked. "Would I be poisoned?"

"Nah," Davis said. "The snake would."

"You might feel sick for awhile." Rebecca seemed serious. "Its conceivable that a person with a heart condition could experience something so shocking that he'd die. That's why they have the screening process, to keep out people who are ill or unbalanced. Anyway, Cody, I don't think you have to worry about seeing any snakes at the party. Except Davis of course."

"Let me say this one last time" Ms. Ruddley said. "While the concept of this program fascinates me, I am uneasy about students your age going through Argus. This has nothing to do with the program, but with your lack of maturity. In three years, you will be three years older."

Davis and Tk applauded. Everyone else laughed. 

Even Ms. Ruddley joined in. "Three years more mature, I mean. My feeling is that you'll benefit more from the program if you think of it as a fortune cookie. What's inside isn't necessarily so." She frowned. "Rebecca?"

"This is sort of an open secret" Rebecca said. "But Dr. Takenouchi is working on Argus 2. It's for people who have gone through the original Argus program. In this one, you create your own scenarios. It's a long way off, though. At least I think so."

This was beginning to sound more and more like the holodeck.

Ms. Ruddley picked up her briefcase. "That's it, people. Go home."

Yolei looked at her watch. "Izzy is waiting for me."

"Hey, Miyako," Davis called as she headed to the door with her books. "We have a date in the future."

She just laughed and hurried out.

"Eleven years," Davis said sagely. "Can make  a whole lot of difference."

"In your dreams." Tk said.

There's chapter two! Remember, I need another review to continue. The more reviews I get, the faster I continue.


	3. Yolei's Day

                                                                                                                                                Tuesday, November 28, chapter 3

            Miyako had decided not to say anything about the computer-generated program until dinner was over and her older sisters were settled into their rooms. She brought up the subject casually while she and her mother were folding laundry together in the dining room. Her unsigned permission forms lay on the table.

            "I'm not really comfortable with the Argus program," Mrs. Inoue said as she finished a stack of towels. "Three hundred years ago, it's creator would have been hung for witchcraft."

            "Argus doesn't claim to read the future." Miyako said. 

"No?  What would you call it?"

"A projection?" She hadn't meant her words to come out as a question. "Something that's possible."

"Possible or probable?" Her mother pulled a sheet from the basket and handed two corners to Miyako. They stood far apart. 

"Ms. Ruddley says the choices are still up to us. And that other factors play a part. The economy. Technology." 

"At your age…." Mrs. Inoue fell silent as they folded the long sheet lengthwise. "I used to fold sheets like this with my mother. I always felt it was like a dance." 

Miyako supposed it was a woman's dance, slow and stately. 

Her mother ended up with the neatly folded sheet. "When I was a girl, it was my mother that held the sheets at the last." She was looking at Miyako that seemed in a way almost sad. "Someday, if God willing, you will fold sheets with your own daughters. And sons." She laid the folded sheet on a chair and brought out another one from the basket. "But not for awhile yet." She paused. "Did you mention Koushiro to the university interviewer?" 

Miyako stiffened. "A little," she admitted. "The question's were about my attitude towards love and marriage, generally. I think I mentioned that I had a boyfriend." 

"I'm not sure that high school students are mature enough for this program," Her mother continued. "Suppose this program shows you married to Koushiro?"

She'd be seventeen in march. Her parents had become engaged when her mother was seventeen. "I suppose that's possible." 

"I like Koushiro," her mother said. "He's a nice boy. The problem is that people in love are so superstitious." Her mother stacked the newly folded sheets. "I can see how couples might marry because it's been preordained by a computer" 

"Argus isn't superstition. It's science." Miyako had told the interviewer that although she planned to go to collage, she hoped to marry early. She hoped to marry Izzy.  "Your father and I have already agreed that you can participate in this program." Her mother started toward the linen closet. "We just want to see that you keep some perspective, no matter what you see." She stopped. "What if Argus doesn't show Koushiro in your future? Do you honestly believe you won't feel differently the next time you see him?" 

Izzy would be there. 

He had to be.

Theres your Miyashiro chapter. I know, it was short. But that's what you get for not reviewing the second chapter! ^^;;; Ok, buh bye and don't forget to review please!!!


	4. Rebecca's Day

                                                                                    Tuesday, November 28, chapter 4

            "This is going to be so dumb," Rebecca said to her mother. After the meeting she had returned to the university Science building, to the office her parents shared.

            "Probably." Dr. Rhodes was expressionless as she regarded her daughter over a stack of student assignments. She had been unimpressed with Rebecca's account of her preliminary interview.

            Rebecca chewed on her pencil eraser. "It will probably be interesting, too."

            "No doubt," her father said. He was also Dr. Rhodes. Her parents were older than most, both over forty when she was born. As a result, they frequently treated her like a colleague. She was expected to make up her own mind. 

            The "reunion" would be a waist of time, definitely. She already knew what she planned to be. Much of her future was already mapped out. She didn't mind being surprised by the rest. 

            Still….dumb and interesting wasn't a bad combination.

            "Who wants to sign my forms?" she asked.

            Both Dr. Rhodes reached for pens.

Come on!!! All I want is some reviews!!! Please?!


	5. Cody's Day

Tuesday, November 28, chapter 5

"I bought the groceries you wanted" Cody had come home from the market to find his mother asleep on the couch. 

She turned so her face was toward him. "Put 'em away, will you honey?" 

"Sure."

"I'll get up pretty soon. I was just resting my eyes."

He went into the kitchen. Nothing had changed since this morning, including last night's dishes. Some days it seemed she barely moved. 

He bought some bread and eggs. A can of spaghetti. Milk was too expensive, but she said he probably wouldn't grow much more anyway. He'd be a small one like his dad. 

His dad had treated them both bad, real bad, but she still missed him.

She was sitting up slowly as he walked back into the room. "How are your eyes?" Cody asked.

"Getting old. Like the rest of me." She yawned. "Shouldn't you be in school? What time is it?"

He told her

"Lord, I must have been more tired than I thought. I don't see how I can watch so much TV when there's nothing on."

He tried to make a joke. "You can trade places with me and go to school."

She didn't laugh. "You can leave school anytime you want and get a job."

"Speaking of school…." Cody spoke casually. "There's this special program and I get to take part in it."

"What kind of special program?" She frowned. "You're not in any trouble, are you?" 

"No!" He was shocked. "It's an honor. Sort of. Hey, there are only seven from the school taking part. One of 'em is on the soccer team, and one girl is running for student council. One of them is a girl whose parents teach at the university- she takes courses there and everything. There's a girl from the school paper." He couldn't think of the others. 

"What do they want you for?" 

"It has to do with the Health class were all taking." His heart was thudding. If he tried to explain Argus to her, she'd never understand. He was having trouble understanding it himself, except he wanted to see his future.

He had to know if the future was worth sticking around for. He couldn't end up like them. Not like his mom. Sure to God, not like his dad. 

"There's these papers they want you to sign."

She leaned back again and shut her eyes. "That school sure does hand up enough forms. If it's not one thing, it's another." Her eyes opened. "How much is this honor going to cost me?" 

"Nothing. It's free. They just want some high school students to take part." He went up and shoved the papers at her.

She let them fall into her lap. "If they want high school students so bad, they should be paying you." 

"It's educational," He repeated. "I want to do it. It's only for one night." 

"Wait," she said. "There's something here about a doctor appointment." 

"A doctor at the university will check me out. It won't cost anything." 

He waited for her to ask why he needed to be examined. That was something he didn't understand too well. It was a requirement. That's all he knew. 

She didn't even bother to pick up her glasses to read the forms. "If you want me to sign these, you better find me a pen." He brought a pen from his knapsack and she scribbled at the bottom of the first page, on the line for the date, but he didn't suppose that mattered. She stood after signing the second one correctly. "If I have a son getting honors, maybe I'd better fix him some dinner." She looked around. "Did you pick up the groceries I asked for?" 

He was used to her not remembering what he said from one minute to the next. "I got 'em, Mom. They're in the kitchen." 

She got on her feet slowly. "You're a good boy. I don't know why, but that's what you are." She started toward the kitchen. "Maybe your too good for this world."

Review please!


	6. Mimi's Day

Tuesday, November 28, Chapter 6

            It was after dinner, and Mimi lay on her bed reading the clippings in her scrapbook. She heard her mother's footsteps on the stairs. 

            "Mimi? Are you up there?"

            "Yes, mama." Quickly she shoved the incriminating evidence under her bed so it was hidden by the flounced, pink spread. "I'm"-she grabbed up a paperback book from under her pillow- "I'm reading." 

            Mrs. Tachikawa approached the bed, then lifted the paperback to look at the title. "Oh, honey, not another diet."

            Mimi had spotted the book in the window of a bookstore the week before. "I thought I'd take a look at it." 

            Unlike her daughter, Mrs. Tachikawa was underweight. 'Lightset' was the term she preferred. She sat down on the bed. Mimi could practically recite her mother's next words.

            "Big bones run in the family." And her next words after that. "The doctor says your perfectly healthy." The doctor had also agreed that she might feel happier if she lost some weight. "Twenty pounds over the norm is nothing to be concerned about. Besides, what is this world-famous norm? It's a number between some poor little anorexic and the circus fat lady." 

            "It's my body," Mimi protested. 

            "I was miserable at your age, too, and for the same reason. For no reason. I made a good marriage, to your father. 

            Her father had died two years before, in a car accident. Last year they moved from America to Odaiba  so Mrs. Tachikawa could live near her family. In a short time, Mimi had lost her father, her community, and all her friends. She knew she sometimes ate more than she should. All the popular girls at school had wonderful figures. Like she had once. She figured she'd try life again when she fit into a size 10. 

            "If you're trying a fad diet so boys will notice you, don't bother. There are men who like something to hang on to, not just skin and bones." Her mother paused. "The evidence of that is that I have a lovely family." 

            Mimi had 'big bones'. Her younger brother could eat anything without gaining weight. 

            "Mom, do you think we can drop the subject now?" Anyway, the problem wasn't just boys. It was everybody. Nobody wanted a newcomer who wasn't perfect. 

            Mrs. Tachikawa was on a roll. "Honey, you have beautiful skin and a very nice personality."

            Mimi winced.

            "Don't make that face at me," her mother ordered, sharply. "It just might freeze in that position. Then where will you be?" Her voice softened. "You did say boys danced with you at that cast party in the high school play."

            They had. She had been almost too startled by the attention to enjoy it. She'd had a small part, a comic character role in a serious play. On opening night, the audience response was tepid for everyone else, but she received more applause than the star's 'Mom.'

            That was early November. Things were back to normal, meaning that she had returned to being invisible. To attempting to fill the gap with ice cream. Sometimes she felt as though she'd never be full again. 

            "All right, all right," her mother said. "Let me tell you why I came up here. While I was at your aunt Riva's, she mentioned that the church youth group is going caroling. They're raising money for repairs on the old church bus. You have such a nice voice-and you did go to that one meeting…."

            A meeting of people who had all known each other forever.

            "You said they seemed nice." She began to speak more quickly. "I know you said you wouldn't join anything until you lose at least ten pounds, but, well, this wouldn't exactly be joining. You'd be helping out. Besides, everybody will be bundled up against the cold. It should be fun." 

            Mimi's voice was great for singing. She had played the role in many plays. Besides, with other people marching around in the dark, she wouldn't have to worry about what to say, how to make an impression.

            "Well?" Mrs. Tachikawa said. 

            With a start, Mimi realized she was actually considering going. "I don't know…."

            "They'll be having a practice session on Saturday. Riva said that you know the songs, so she was sure you could join anytime." Her mother picked up the Argus pamphlet from the table. When you play this computer game next Thursday, how about giving me a call from the future?"  
            Mimi smiled despite herself. "It's only a simulation." 

            "Even in a simulation, I will still be your mother." Mrs. Tachikawa began to rise, then frowned. She leaned down and pulled the scrapbook from under the bed. "Uh-huh." She laid the scrapbook on the bedspread. "You didn't tell these computer people that you wanted to be an actress?"

            Mimi's cheeks heated up. "We were supposed to mention anything we thought of." 

            "You want something steady. A hairdresser or a secretary." Mrs. Tachikawa was taking a secretarial course at the community college. "The interviewer asked what I might want to be and what I would hate worse than death." Maybe she'd enjoy being a hairdresser. She would love to be an actress.

            "It's fine to do what you want, but you have to think that a time might come-people might depend on you to clothe and feed them." Her mother stood again and headed toward the door. "in case your interested, I'm baking cupcakes. They'll be ready for tasting in an hour."

            Mimi groaned. 


	7. Kari's Day

Tuesday, November 28, Chapter 7

            Kari's father was staring at the computer monitor when she slipped the permission forms in front of him. He had been in his home office since she got home at five. There was no sign of dinner preparations. At six he had come out and told her to find something in the freezer for dinner because her mother was delayed at the office. He wasn't hungry.

            Kari and her seven-year-old brother had eaten alone. Again. 

            "I need your signature for school," she told him. 

            He barely glanced at her. "You can sign my name."

            "Okay," she took it away. "I can even talk to myself about why I don't like the project."

            "What?"

            "Nothing. I'll do it."

            Mr. Kamiya's smile was distracted. "That's my girl."

            She didn't leave. "What time is mom coming home?"

            "Hard to say," he said after a minute. 

            "Do you want me to put Yamato to bed?" She interpreted his nod as a yes. "Maybe I'll read to him. He likes 'Charlie And The Chocolate Factory'." No response. "You might try reading to him sometime. I bet he'd like that."

            That earned her a glance. "I have a lot of work to do yet tonight. How about closing the door behind you when you go?" 

            She did. Kari went back in the living room, where Matt was sitting in front of the TV. "Well, I guess it's just you and me. How about hopping into your pajamas? We'll see what Charlie is up to."

Shortness….. ;.; Im sorry. I couldn't write more. Im grounded for attacking the vending machine at school. I'll try to get the next chapter up, soon. 


	8. TK's Day

Tuesday, November 28,  chapter 8

            "What's this for?" TK's father asked as he examined the permission forms that night. They had just finished dessert, homemade apple pie- Mr. Takaishi's specialty.

            TK paused from chugalugging a glass of milk. "It's for school. The Argus project." 

            "It's an experiment," his mother said. "Some doctor at the university is programming the kids and making them into robots."

            "Hey, I'm in eleventh grade. I'm already a robot." TK put down his glass. Stiff and mechanical, he walked into the stove. He clicked. Then he turned and headed toward his mother. Laughing, she dodged behind her chair. 

            Mr. Takaishi took a pen from his shirt pocket. "Sounds good to me."  He leaned the forms against the refrigerator and scrawled his name. "Here," He said as he handed them back. "If you come back without a command installed about taking out the trash, I'm going to complain." 

            "Thanks, Dad," TK said. He clicked again and jerked in what he hoped was a robotlike manner. 

            His father clicked back. He struck himself in the forehead with his pen.

            Mrs. Takaishi reached into the cupboard and handed her husband a container of sewing-machine oil. "Enjoy," she said.

            Parents.


End file.
